Blessings through Coronavirus

Back to Front

So so much of Christian thinking is Front to Back, Rightside Up compared to the thinking of the world - which is often Back to Front, Upside Down.

Here's one of Christianity's Rightside Up verses:

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Now, Paul is not urging us to give thanks FOR all circumstances. That would be a little odd. How could we give thanks FOR Coronavirus - for example? How could we give thanks for this incy wincy ball of RNA which replicates itself to the serious detriment of the host? How could we give thanks to God for a destructive pandemic?

No, Paul is urging us to give thanks IN all circumstances - big difference. The difference is this: You and I can't control the circumstance, we can't control floods, old age, disease, forest fires, floods. They come at the providential (always the powerful sovereign permissive providential control) of Almighty God. What we are called to do is to give thanks in the particular circumstance facing us, to recognise the blessings, to count the blessings if you will.

So let me share just seven blessings that come to us through Coronavirus......

Counting our blessings

1) We have been reminded how connected everyone in the world is
We knew it anyway, through the fact that we share the same atmosphere and oceans. And gradually as we have been poluting both with green house gasses and plastic, we've all paid the price. But this is a different kind of conectedness, a human conectedness. One man in one part of the world can spread a virus right across the globe, largely because of modern air travel.

And so when the Bible says "sin came through one man," here in Coronavirus we have a faint proof-echo of that truth. We are not - in point of fact - islands to ourselves but mankind is connected up, with the one affecting all the others. If only that man (in China?) hadn't.....

Of course this connectdness can work for our good as well as our ill. For just as "the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men." (Romans 5:18)

One Man suffered and died for sins and then rose again. So all men who believe in him will be forgiven for theirs sins and rise one day with him to eternal life!

2) We have been reminded that some things (many things in fact) are out of our control
As clever and powerful as mankind is, there are powers way beyond his control. Forest fires that just can't be put out. Flood that can't be stopped. A virus that presently has no cure.

It is good for proud mankind to be humbled in this way. For then, perhaps men and women may turn to God for mercy and help. 

3) We have been blessed that children are less susceptible than adults
I am convinced that this pandemic would have caused a far greater outcry if children were the target of the virus. This is not ageism but realism. Children haven't had an opportunity to live their lives; older folks have.

4) We have seen common grace at work
We have not yet seen the worst of mankind - except perhaps in the selfish greed of shoppers - but we have seen the kindness of strangers. Communities coming together to support one another. Christians call this common grace - a remnant of Eden and the work of God. (In hell there is no common grace, nothing good, no kindness: it's one of the big differences between this world and hell).

5) We will grow to appreciate fellowship
I predict that the blessing of just meeting with one another in person, which we can so easily take for granted, will become a more precious privilege in these days.

6) We have an opportunity to grow as believers
We have more time on our hands. How will we use it? Let us use it to grow our faith, read our Bibles pray more. (Below I have put down some helpful resources, knowing that there is alot of unhelpful stuff out there on the web: we need to be discerning).

7) We have an opportunity to reach out to our neighbours and the lost
What an amazing opportunity God has given us to show kindness to neighbours and love to those who do not have the hope that we have.

May God help us to give thanks in all circumstances, and to use the present pandemic for our good, the good of our neighbours and the glory of God.

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A Few Helpful Resources:

All these preachers on YouTube will bless you:

John Piper
Timothy Keller
John Macarthur

Articles on The Gospel Coalition are helpful. You can find them here.

I will add other resources as time goes by......